IMDb > The Two Jakes (1990)
The Two Jakes
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany credits
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guidemessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsmemorable quotes
Did You Know?
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
box office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Two Jakes (1990) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (See all 21 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
6.0/10   6,244 votes »
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jack Nicholson
Writers (WGA):
Robert Towne (characters)
Robert Towne (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Two Jakes on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 August 1990 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery See more »
Tagline:
They say money makes the world go round. But sex was invented before money.
Plot:
The sequel to Chinatown (1974) finds Jake Gittes investigating adultery and murder... and the money that comes from oil. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
NewsDesk:
(24 articles)
5 Things You Might Not Know About Roman Polanski's 'Chinatown'
 (From The Playlist. 20 June 2012, 9:00 AM, PDT)
Isabella Rossellini, Melanie Laurent & Sarah Gadon Have 'An Enemy' In Common With Jake Gyllenhaal
 (From The Playlist. 14 May 2012, 8:46 AM, PDT)
Jack Nicholson Movies: Rating The Actor's Best And Worst Films
 (From Moviefone. 21 April 2012, 10:54 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
It's not the classic Chinatown is, but it's a very good movie. See more (48 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Jack Nicholson ... J.J. 'Jake' Gittes

Harvey Keitel ... Julius 'Jake' Berman

Meg Tilly ... Kitty Berman

Madeleine Stowe ... Lillian Bodine

Eli Wallach ... Cotton Weinberger

Rubén Blades ... Michael 'Mickey Nice' Weisskopf

Frederic Forrest ... Chuck Newty

David Keith ... Det. Lt. Loach

Richard Farnsworth ... Earl Rawley

Tracey Walter ... Tyrone Otley

Joe Mantell ... Lawrence Walsh

James Hong ... Kahn

Perry Lopez ... Captain Lou Escobar
Jeff Morris ... Ralph Tilton

Rebecca Broussard ... Gladys
Paul A. DiCocco Jr. ... Liberty Levine
John Hackett ... Mark Bodine
Rosie Vela ... Linda

Allan Warnick ... Manfred P. Rippey
Susan Forristal ... Delores
Will Tynan ... Judge Alexander K. Dettmer

Van Dyke Parks ... Francis Hannah
William Duffy ... Desk Sergeant
Sue Carlton ... Mattie Rawley

Don McGovern ... Bartender

Luana Anders ... Florist

Dean Hill ... Cop with Parrot
Pia Grønning ... Dr. Elsa Branchauer
John Herman Shaner ... Saul
Michael Shaner ... Benny

Lee Weaver ... Caddy #1
Malek Abdul-Mansour ... Caddy #2
Kenneth Cervi ... Prowler (as Ken Cervi)
Annie Marshall ... Client with Dog
Ian Thorpe ... Errol Flynn Look-alike
Collette Northrop ... Cigarette Hat Check Girl
Patricia Durham ... Clarissa
Randi Ingerman ... Lana
Joy Wayman ... Lady Asleep at Clinic
Bob George ... Bar Maitre D'
Suzanne Mitchell ... The Redhead
Alan Chaffin ... Bar Manager
Wyn Costello ... Black-Eye Woman
Lisa Croisette ... Laura Teal, Actress at Max Factor (as Lisa Regina Croisette)
Jessica Z. Diamond ... Receptionist
Scott Flynn ... Golf Advisor
Benard Ihgner ... Singer at Green Parrot
Earl Palmer ... Green Parrot Band
Simeon Pillich ... Green Parrot Band
Herman Riley ... Green Parrot Band

Faye Dunaway ... Evelyn Mulwray (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paulie DiCocco ... Liberty Levine (uncredited)

James Ent ... Bailiff #2 (uncredited)

Jeffery Thomas Johnson ... Golfer (uncredited)

Moreen Littrell ... Military Wife (uncredited)
Meredith McKenzie-Alcus ... Mother with Baby (uncredited)

Tereza Rizzardi ... Woman at Max Factor (uncredited)

Tom Waits ... Plainclothes Policeman (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Jack Nicholson 
 
Writing credits
(WGA)
Robert Towne (characters)

Robert Towne (written by)

Produced by
R. Blaine Currier .... associate producer
Robert Evans .... producer
Alan Finkelstein .... associate producer
Harold Schneider .... producer
Jack Nicholson .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Van Dyke Parks 
 
Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond 
 
Film Editing by
Anne Goursaud 
 
Casting by
Terry Liebling 
 
Production Design by
Jeremy Railton 
Richard Tom Sawyer  (as Richard Sawyer)
 
Art Direction by
Richard Schreiber 
 
Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich 
 
Costume Design by
Wayne A. Finkelman 
 
Makeup Department
Ray Sebastian .... makeup artist
Toni-Ann Walker .... hair stylist
Brad Wilder .... makeup artist
Joy Zapata .... hair stylist
 
Production Management
Max Stein .... unit production manager (as Max A. Stein)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Daves .... first assistant director
Todd Grodnick .... second second assistant director
Michael Kennedy .... assistant director
Linda Rockstroh .... second assistant director
Gail Seely .... second second assistant director
 
Art Department
Mark Boucher .... set dresser
Mark Boucher .... swing gang
Nigel A. Boucher .... leadman
Emily Ferry .... property master
Christopher Gilman .... props
Charles R. Lipscomb .... lead man
Harold Michelson .... storyboard artist
Mike Villarino .... propmaker
 
Sound Department
Greg Curda .... foley mixer
Ken Dufva .... foley artist
Julia Evershade .... supervising sound editor
John Hoeren .... sound effects editor
Robert J. Litt .... sound re-recording mixer
James Matheny .... dialogue editor
Bob Newlan .... sound editor
Art Rochester .... production sound mixer
Greg P. Russell .... sound re-recording mixer
Douglas J. Schulman .... boom operator
Elliot Tyson .... sound re-recording mixer
Paul C. Warschilka .... first assistant sound editor
Thomas Whiting .... supervisng adr editor
David Williams .... dialogue editor
John Roesch .... foley artist (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers .... technical director of sound (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp .... foley recordist (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
David Domeyer .... special effects
R.J. Hohman .... special effects assistant
Joe Lombardi .... special effects coordinator
Paul J. Lombardi .... supervisor
Michael Roundy .... special effects technician
 
Stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr. .... stunt coordinator
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Lloyd Alexander .... grip
William D. Barber .... first assistant camera
Earl L. Clark .... camera operator
Ray De La Motte .... camera operator
Jeff Mart .... Steadicam operator
 
Editorial Department
Ron Lambert .... color timer
Jimmy Sandoval .... first assistant editor
 
Music Department
J.J. George .... assistant music editor
Todd Hayen .... orchestrator
Lennie Niehaus .... orchestrator
Lonnie Sill .... music supervisor
 
Transportation Department
Paulie DiCocco .... driver: Harvey Keitel
Shane Greedy .... production driver
Dennis Junt .... picture car coordinator
Joel Marrow .... transportation coordinator
Joseph Sullivan .... driver
 
Other crew
Carmen Avila .... assistant accountant
Joanie Blum .... script supervisor
Sandra Boissier .... assistant to producer (as Sandra Baragiola Boissier)
Robert L. Dohan .... assistant location manager
Les Godwin .... associate location manager
Anthony Goldschmidt .... title designer
John Hackett .... stand-in
T.J. Healy II .... assistant location manager
Jim Jaffe .... product placement
Andrew Lipschultz .... unit publicist
Bertram McCann .... marine coordinator
Jennifer Nicholson .... assistant to production designers
Jane Prosnit .... production coordinator
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
137 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)
Certification:
Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Norway:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Brazil:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 (DVD rating)
Filming Locations:
City Hall - 200 N. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USASee more »
Company:
88 ProductionsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
18 months elapsed between the film's US release and its first (minimal) appearance in UK cinemas.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: On the golf course Gittes tosses away his cigarette to drive the ball. When he is shown standing by to watch Berman tee off, he takes a drag on a cigarette that he not only did not have time to light, but did not have time to smoke it down to its current length.See more »
Quotes:
Jake Gittes:I'm trying to be a gentleman here. Now, get on your knees, put your ass in the air, and don't move until I say to.See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Simpsons: Kill the Alligator and Run (#11.19)" (2000)See more »
Soundtrack:
Don't Smoke In BedSee more »

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
14 out of 16 people found the following review useful.
It's not the classic Chinatown is, but it's a very good movie., 17 August 2005
Author: gottogorunning from United States

Most reviews pull The Two Jakes to pieces, except for a very well-considered one by Roger Ebert (find it at the Chicago Sun-Times).

Of course, it's not the classic Chinatown is, but it's a damned good movie. It's about the past, how it pervades our lives for the rest of our days, and how we assimilate it into our futures.

Many have complained that the film is convoluted, that when the key revelation comes (I ain't givin' that away) you miss the impact of it. I strongly disagree with this. I for one had actually figured out the revelation before it happened - this didn't bother me because I wanted so much for it to be what I had thought it was going to be. And when it comes, it's so subtle you could almost be forgiven for missing it. It's lovely, so comforting in a very ironic way.

All I'll say is, pay attention to the scene where Jake (Nicholson) goes to see Kahn (the unmistakable James Hong). Something about the flowers...

Anyway, I'm drifting. The Two Jakes is subtle, well-crafted, and when all is revealed, so very simple. The 'convoluted' events in the plot serve to illustrate what a single, simple desire can cause.

Just watch it. Bear in mind the events and characters from Chinatown, but only so that you have a back story for these characters and not a standard to which they should be compared.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (48 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Two Jakes (1990)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Info on Cloverleaf (third film in the trilogy) Michael_Cronin
Kim Basinger scarecrow-moon
(spoilers) What was the point of the flowers? dentarthurdent420
I wonder what Polanski thought of it... lovin_cat
beautiful opening song? egankim
Why the shot from inside the golf hole?? bruce-k-morrison
See more »

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
The Departed The Black Dahlia The Last Seduction Kings & Queen The Lady from Shanghai
IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Edit page' button will take you through a step-by-step process.